


Blood &. Iron

by StarbornWarrior



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Family Drama, Family Feels, Gen, Historical Hetalia, Historical References, Past Drug Use, complicated family dynamics, subscribes to the holy rome is germany theory, tags will be updated as more chapters roll out
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:41:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27519304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarbornWarrior/pseuds/StarbornWarrior
Summary: The army with a state and the boy who would be the heir to two warring crowns - Two brothers brought together by fate. A look into Gilbert and Ludwig's relationship as they navigate what it means to be family against a backdrop of war, politics, and what happens when a personal bond contradicts one's nature as a nation.
Relationships: Germany & Prussia (Hetalia)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	1. standing on the precipice.

**Author's Note:**

> It's 2020, Hetalia is apparently getting a new season, so I figured it was the perfect time to start writing fanfiction again. Here's my attempt at writing a multi-chapter fic, featuring my favorite pair of brothers. I hope you enjoy! Kudos and comments are always appreciated! ^^

**_Spring, 1815_ **

“Is this not where the battle of Austerlitz was held?”

A young man with blond hair and a face that beheld a mildly sunburnt complexion paused in the midst of rummaging through his saddlebags and stared at his companion, “Yes,” He nodded, humming in approval once he found what he’d been looking for: his canteen of water. Wasting no time, he popped the cork off the top and knocked the cool liquid back, a sigh of satisfaction escaping him as soon as he’d finished, “Anyone our age would be old enough to know that, _Johann_ ,”

The man named Johann felt himself bristle at the teasing jab coming from his comrade. The other’s cheeky grin certainly wasn’t helping him feel any better, “I knew that! I… I was only asking to be sure, Kaspar,” He shot back defensively, to which Kaspar rolled his eyes in response, “More importantly, I wanted to know why the general chose to stop here,”

Kaspar narrowed his gaze as he put the cork back in to seal his canteen, “Were you not told?” When Johann said nothing, he turned and began fiddling with his saddlebags once more, a somber expression draping over his once smiling features, “The general has a habit of visiting this field every year since the battle, or at least whenever he found the time. It’s a personal tradition I suppose,”

Johann nodded slowly, turning his gaze towards the sweeping fields of green. Though the grass had started to grow back again, it wasn’t hard to tell that this was once a place ravaged by the ** _chaos_** of war. From the patches of land that remained devoid of all life, to the stumps of trees and abandoned houses dotting the horizon, there was enough evidence of the ** _carnage_** that swept through this land. It wasn’t long before his eyes caught sight of a lone figure walking through the place, the dark blue uniform a prominent speck against the grass around him.

Neither he nor Kaspar had been in General von Beilschmidt’s service for very long. In fact, it’s been less than a year since he was promoted to the rank of _captain_ and subsequently assigned to be the general’s new aide-de-camp; a replacement for poor Lieutenant von Richter whose health took a turn for the worse and thus had to be granted a leave of absence. Kaspar was relatively new to his position as well and had only been the general’s aide for a year or so when Johann joined their ranks.

Not that either of them had any complaints --- Gilbert von Beilschmidt was one of the more… **_Agreeable_** officers in the Prussian army. Surely one with the same high expectations and an equally **_stern_** disciplinarian when needed, but for the most part, the man was quite _nice_ , **_friendly_** even --- If just a touch bit ** _melancholy_**. He supposed that was hardly a surprise, given the general’s _true nature_.

“It’s not unheard for soldiers to do this, though,” Kaspar said, breaking the train of Johann’s thoughts. He walked up to stand beside the other, arms crossed as they observed their superior make his way through the field, “My father once told me that my grandfather used to do it. He survived the massacre that was _Kunersdorf_ during the great king’s reign, you know,” A pause, “It was ** _years_** after the war had come to an end and yet he still found himself compelled to take the occasional trip to that village,”

“And what did he do there?”

“He never talked about it. Neither did my father,” Kaspar shrugged, “Though I’d be willing to bet it wasn’t much different from what the general is doing now,”

“Mm,” Johann nodded in understanding, “Speaking of… Is it just me or does he seem to be looking for something?”

A snort was quick to escape Kaspar, throwing the other an incredulous look, “Don’t be ridiculous,” He said, waving a dismissive hand, “What could he be _literally_ looking for in this place? There’s nothing but grass and houses that were left abandoned after the war! Some folk say they’re haunted,”

It was Johann’s turn to scoff, “ _Haunted?_ Now who’s being ridiculous?”

“It’s just a rumor!” The blond said, tone defensive, “Anyway, we’ve talked too much. Let’s get ready to depart. The general should be coming back shortly,”

Johann resisted the urge to roll his eyes, though a light smirk did tug at the corners of his mouth. He stole one more glance towards the figure walking through the field before turning around and following after his comrade; off to prepare themselves and their horses for when their superior came back.

* * *

_Where was this feeling leading him to?_

Pale brows furrowed as Gilbert continued on his trek, pausing for a moment to see if he could get a better grip on the tugging feeling that nagged him. It wasn’t an unfamiliar sensation, in fact, it was one he had to learn to live with as a nation, as all others of his kind do. True, it was **_unsettling_ **at first, but eventually, the light pull became more of a **_comfort_** than anything else. It let him know when others of his kind were nearby, provided a tether between him and his people, and was a reliable predictor of any imminent danger. Normally it felt like the light tickle of butterflies in one’s stomach and in the face of a threat, it felt like a yank strong enough to make one’s stomach lurch uneasily. He was used to those feelings.

_But this was entirely new._

This sensation felt… _Eager_. _Impatient_ , even. It had all the urgency that a pull to alert him of any danger would have, and yet none of his fight or flight instincts seemed to kick into high gear. Amber eyes scanned the horizon for any clue that would lead him to think that perhaps a fellow nation had also come to visit the former battlefield.

Alas, there was no other sign of life apart from him and his two aides waiting for him at the top of a small hill. That made Gilbert all the more restless. With a determined huff, he continued on his way, following the strange feeling as though it were a compass.

He was just about ready to dismiss the whole ordeal as the result of him kicking off his laudanum habit ( _restlessness, delusions, agitation --- classic signs of withdrawal_ ) when a house came into view. The tugging grew twice as strong then --- Gilbert swore it felt like an excited child taking him by the hand and leading him towards God knows what. Prussia let himself be led anyway, dirt and grass crunching under the heel of his boots as he quickly made his way towards the abandoned home; slowing down only once he reached the run-down fence.

It was a small, wooden house, degraded by both war and time. The gate gave an eerie creak as he pushed it open, making note of the scuffs and scratches that marked the old wood as a victim of gunfire and artillery strikes. A clothesline still hung on the front yard, though the rope from which clothes were usually hung had snapped and was left to sway in the light breeze. For a moment, Prussia found himself wondering about the people that once lived there. _Did they have a chance to evacuate? Were they settled somewhere else, living a new life? Or were they dead, their blood feeding the grass that threatened to overgrow their home, like many others?_

A lurching feeling in his stomach brought him back to the present, his gaze instantly drawn to the front door. **_In here_** \--- He could almost imagine a voice saying. But as to _who_ or _what_ was in there, he hadn’t the faintest clue. Gilbert felt his gloved fingers twitch over the hilt of the sword strapped to his hip. He kept his hand there, ready to draw it in case anything came jumping out at him, no matter how ridiculous a notion that seemed. He was the only one there, after all.

Either way, Prussia stepped up to the door and placed a tentative hand on it. He gave it a light push and the door gave him a strained groan in response, rusty hinges and old wood protesting the sudden movement after being stuck in the same place for so long. His left hand tightened its grip around his sword as he pushed the door open further, daylight pouring into the dimly lit space. Gilbert coughed a bit on account of the dust that greeted his entrance but he pushed forward anyway. At first glance, there was nothing particularly striking about the home. Old, abandoned furniture lay strewn about; the soot-streaked fireplace with a pot still hanging over it illuminated by a spot of light that came pouring in from a cannonball shaped hole in the roof. The place smelled slightly rancid, heavy with the scent of wood rot and stale air. Mildly _unpleasant_ , yes --- But all in all, nothing out of the ordinary for an abandoned home.

He clicked his tongue, a light growl of frustration escaping him as he ran a hand through his silver-blonde locks. The urgent tugging was still there, though it had tempered down somewhat as if to tell him that he’d arrived at the right place. The problem was, Gilbert couldn’t see what he was supposed to find here for the life of him. There was definitely no sign that a fellow nation was around, neither was there anything to tell him that perhaps someone had visited this place before he did. Prussia resisted the urge to _laugh_ at himself; _was the stress of this war finally starting to get to him? Twelve years of fighting against Napoleon and his sanity decided that now, when victory was finally within a realistic reach, was the perfect time to crack---_

_**CLINK!** _

The noise startled him out of his thoughts and Gilbert whirled around; posture alert and ready to face the source of the threat. However, the tension died as quickly as it came when he realized that the source of the sound was none other than a mouse who’d somehow managed to knock a cup over and sent it clattering to the ground. Gilbert let out a sigh of relief, sliding his sword back into its sheath. _Maybe it was time for him to leave this alone._

That’s when his eyes caught sight of something that lay just beyond the dining table. From where he stood, it looked to be nothing but a pile of discarded cloth or a sheet that was haphazardly bundled and left in the corner. But the more he looked at it, the more Gilbert became convinced that something was… **_Off_** about it. It appeared to be more solid --- As though there was something underneath the draped fabric. He approached with caution, aware of the way his heart picked up its pace to match the heightened insistence of the pulling feeling in his gut. _What could possibly be so important about this pile of ---_

No. _**No.**_

_**It can’t be.** _

Gilbert felt **_frozen_** , the shock of his discovery sending an icy chill through his veins. He had to be _dreaming_. That was the only _logical_ explanation for what he was seeing. Perhaps he’d gone back to his tent and fell asleep and dreamed this entire trip up. That certainly made more sense to him than what was currently in front of him because there was just no way, _there was absolutely no way ---_

**_There was no way he was looking at Holy Rome’s corpse._ **

Hesitantly, he reached out and laid a hand on the boy’s cheek. It was tinted an unhealthy shade of blue, ice-cold to the touch, and so **_terrifyingly_** real that Gilbert found himself drawing his hand back like he’d just been burned. No --- This was no dream. **_This was real._** He allowed himself to stew in his shock for a moment more before he swallowed it back, his face steeling into a more focused expression while he continued to examine the body. He appeared… _Younger_ , somewhat. Or at least younger than he remembered Karl looking when he saw him last. Then again, most of his final memories of the young empire were of tending to him while the latter lay confined to his sickbed. Children always looked _smaller_ … More _fragile_ when they were ill --- And even though Karl was older than him by a good couple of centuries, in those moments, that’s what Prussia saw him as: a young child, barely old enough to be counted as a young teen, caving under the weight of his crumbling identity.

The expression on Gilbert’s face grew dark. The body looked **_battered._** Grime matted around his face and in his hair, turning what would have been a bright blond into a dirty brown. Cuts and bruises stood out starkly against pale skin, though the most jarring sight had to be the wound that gutted him right through the middle; the blood still crusted around the edges of where the cloth of his shirt was torn. If he wasn’t so used to the sight of terrible injuries, Gilbert was sure he would have _gagged_ by now.

And yet, despite all of that, there was no sign that the body was _decaying._ There was no foul smell, no evidence of rotting flesh or bloating that was characteristic of a long-dead corpse. That was strange enough on its own, but even **_stranger_** when he considered the fact that if this **_was_** Karl, he would have been dead for just a little under **_nine years_** now. It didn’t make sense for his body to be so well-preserved. It made even less sense that his body was still here at all. Every nation he’s heard of that suffered a **_true death_** , a death brought about by the destruction of what they represented; a death from which there was no returning from, have _disappeared_ without a trace. For the longest time, he and the other countries that once made up the empire in Karl’s name thought that their brother had simply suffered the same fate.

_So why was he still here?_

Before he could properly think about it, Gilbert found himself moving to remove his coat and used it to carefully wrap the boy. He picked him up and felt a pang in his heart when he saw how the small body hung limply in his arms. Adjusting his grip, he cradled him with all the care that a father would carry his sleeping child, stood up with ease, and made his way back out the door. He had no idea why he felt so _compelled_ to take him or what he was going to do with him --- But he also couldn’t stand the thought of leaving him alone in that dark house for longer than he’d already been.

“You’ll be okay,” He muttered under his breath as he stepped back out into the light of day, though he was unsure if the boy he carried in his arms could actually hear him. Most nations remained somewhat conscious even when they lay cold and breathless. Given how long Karl had been dead though, he can’t know for sure. Still, he thought it was worth it to offer whatever comfort he could. Steeling himself with a breath, he began to walk back towards where he’d left his two aides, hoping against all hope they wouldn’t ask him any questions he didn’t want to answer.

* * *

“I see him,”

Johann leaped up from the base of the tree he’d been sitting on as soon as he heard Kaspar’s announcement, dusting himself off lest he gets reprimanded for looking less than his best. In the meantime, Kaspar took the liberty of leading the general’s horse by the reins, ready to greet him as soon as he came up the hill, “Welcome back, sir,” He greeted, “Shall we be off---”

The rest of his words died in his throat and whatever smile was on his face fell as soon as he saw what his superior was carrying in his arms. Even Johann stopped dead in his tracks, watching General von Beilschmidt with wide, disbelieving eyes. His blue gaze met Kaspar’s brown ones for a brief moment and he could immediately tell they both had the same question in mind: _Why in God’s name did the general come back with a child’s corpse?_

Gilbert breezed past them, avoiding their shocked gazes as he walked right up to his horse. Carefully, he placed the boy on it first before hoisting himself upon the saddle with practiced ease. This snapped his aides out of their stupor, “S-Sir---” Johann began, clearing his throat and willing himself to maintain his composure.

“I want both of you to ride back to camp,” Prussia began, robbing the captain of any chance to speak. His tone made it clear that his words were meant to be orders and he wasn’t open to any questions, “Inform General von Auer that I will be back in about a week or so,” There was a pause before he directed his sights towards the pair of young men at last. Immediately, both men stood at attention, all thought of questioning whatever was going on pushed to the side for a moment as they fell under their nation’s hardened gaze, “ _ **Nobody**_ can know what happened here, understood?”

Johann and Kaspar couldn’t think of doing anything apart from giving a curt nod; a sign to show that they understood their orders no matter how confused they were about the situation. Satisfied, Prussia gave an acknowledging nod back before spurring his horse into a gallop, leaving his two aides behind. It was going to be a long ride from here to Berlin, but Gilbert reckoned he could make it in good time if he rode on and stopped as little as possible. Perhaps that sounded like **_madness_** , but then again, it was also madness to find long-dead a corpse that wasn’t supposed to exist.

It wasn’t long before he made it back onto the main road, dust kicking up around him as his horse pounded along the dirt path. Amber eyes flicked down to catch a quick glimpse of his unconscious passenger and suddenly Prussia got the sense that he was standing on the edge of… _Something_. By doing what he was doing now, by deciding to take this boy who _was_ and _wasn’t_ Karl, by attempting to mend him and see what might come of it, he felt like he was knocking over the first in a long line of dominoes; inadvertently setting off a chain reaction without knowing how it would affect the future that, up until now, seemed so bleak. He turned his gaze back up towards the road.

_Only time will tell._


	2. a new beginning.

**_**Late Summer 1815** _ **

**__ **

_3_ _ rd _ _of August, 1815_

**_Entry #36_ **

_**Patient:** X_

_**Vitals:** _

_\- Pulse: N/A_

_\- Respiration: N/A_

**_Further Notes:_ **

_It has been 4 months since I first discovered the body._

_The injuries which I’ve stitched together still hold and, against all logic, some of them have begun to show signs of_ **_**healing.** _ ** _I thought I was once again suffering from the effects of too much hope mixed with more than a couple of sleepless nights; but when I pulled out the stitches on one of the more minor cuts on his cheek, I was astounded to see that the flesh had knit itself back together again. I even ran my thumb through the scar, tugging lightly on the skin to see if it would split once more, but it did not._

_This took about a month --- Far more than the average time it took for a nation to heal from such a small cut. Regardless, the fact that he was healing at all is a remarkable feat on its own. He is still dead, by the clinical definition of the word, but it’s not unheard of for our kind to begin the healing process prior to coming back from death. While that small amount of progress is something to celebrate, I find my thoughts are drifting towards other concerns._

_From what I know, our ability to heal in a manner much quicker than the average human all depends on the state of our people and our country. We draw our strength from them --- How, I cannot yet explain. But the thing that continues to throw me for a loop is that he doesn’t exactly have an identity to ground himself with, doesn’t have a people of his own to draw from. In theory, he_ **_**shouldn’t** _ ** _be healing at all. Unless… Is it possible for our kind to adopt a completely new identity? To find something else to latch on to, to draw from? If so, then what does he represent now? And if it_ **_**is** _ ** _possible, then why have none of the ancients done the same? I find myself as troubled by my discoveries as I am intrigued by them---_

* * *

A soft knock made Gilbert look up from the journal he was reading from, curious eyes fixated on the door to his study, “Come in,” He beckoned and took the creak that came with the door being opened as his cue to put the book away, placing it with a group of other, similar-looking journals at the corner of his desk. A hand reached up to pull his glasses off of his face, a sigh of relief escaping him as he rubbed the spot where the frames left a light indent on the bridge of his nose.

“You know, you’re starting to make me regret teaching you to be so _disciplined_ , Gilbert, ”

Prussia felt his mouth twitch into a smile at that voice, his words preceded by a quiet laugh, “To be fair, _bruder,_ ” He quipped, looking up at the man that entered his office, “It wasn’t entirely your doing. If you recall, I was already a **_**soldier**_** long before I came under your care, ”

“You expect me to forget the way we fought over _Danzig_?”

“Are you still harping on that? It’s been _centuries,_ Reiner!”

The man Gilbert called his brother scoffed, shaking his head as he walked over to one of the vacant seats in front of the other’s desk. Reinhardt von Auer ( _or the Province of Brandenburg, as he was formally known these days_ ) looked nothing like Gilbert’s sibling. Dark haired and possessing a **_**stern**_** but handsome face, he was a perfect contrast to his brother’s lighter, softer features. That contrast extended to their personalities; while Prussia often came off as the _warm_ , _personable_ type, Brandenburg had the reputation of being seen as the _serious_ , _curt_ one. Gilbert liked to wear his heart on his sleeve and Reiner preferred to keep his cards close to his chest. Two different sides of the same coin, some would say. But those differences, no matter how stark, hardly mattered --- They were brothers bound not by _blood_ or a _shared past_ , neither were they simply bound by the political machinations that brought them together in the first place. They were brothers by a far more important factor: Brothers by **_**choice.**_**

That wasn’t always the case, of course. Their first true meeting during the fight for ownership of the city of Danzig had them ( _then still a pair of_ ** _ **boys**_** _hardly old enough to be called men_ ) clawing at each other’s throats. Gilbert, known as _Mikael_ at the time, won the battle that day and never failed to rub it in Reiner’s face. Needless to say, it thoroughly _soured_ young Brandenburg’s opinion of the impetuous little knight for the next couple of centuries. As fate would have it, the two met again in 1660, though by then they’d both changed a lot --- One was left **_**scarred**_** by a thirty-year long war that almost wiped him off the map, while the other was lost without a purpose after suffering a defeat brought about by his own hubris. Neither of them had high hopes that they would get along but as time went on, the pair became **_**inseparable**_** ; each other’s closest ally in a world eager to count them out.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Reiner said, eyeing his brother’s desk. He didn’t think anything could be so organized yet so _chaotic_ at the same time, but now he was inclined to think otherwise.

“Oh no, not at all,” Gilbert said with a dismissive gesture before motioning towards a stack of paperwork, “I was taking a break from reading over all these reports,” He reached up to rub at his temple. He swore he could feel a _migraine_ coming on, “I swear, every time I finish one, a new one finds its way to me,”

“Such is the price of staying informed,” The elder of the two hummed and took a document from the top of the pile, quickly skimming over its contents. Despite signing the treaty that dictated what each participating nation would receive once victory over France was secured **_**months**_** ago, negotiations were still well underway behind the scenes. And while it wasn’t possible to accompany their delegation to every meeting, both brothers made sure that they were always in the loop; constantly receiving copies of reports sent back by their diplomats. Judging from this particular report, however, nothing much had changed. Reiner clicked his tongue, “Austria’s being as stubborn as ever, I see,”

“I’m sure Hardenburg and Humboldt are doing their best,” Prussia sighed, taking the document back from his brother, “But you know as well as I do that Anneliese won’t agree to anything that easily, especially if it gives us even the _slightest_ advantage over her,” He understood his Austrian rival’s need to look out for her own interests all too well, but that didn’t mean her _meddling_ was going to be any less of a thorn in his side, “Any word on the Saxon front?”

“Still refusing to give up any more territory than they’d already promised,” Reiner said, mirroring the same look of frustration on his brother’s face. Incorporating the whole of Saxony into the kingdom had been one of their main goals. Unfortunately, luck was on Saxony’s side for neither Austria nor any other western power seemed keen to let them do just that. A smart move on their part and a breath of relief for Saxony, sure; but it was a loss for them, “But the Rhinelands are secured, at least. In fact, I talked with a scout that recently came back from a brief tour of our new territory,”

“And?”

“He believes it might grow into a promising industrial base yet. It’s rich in _resources_ which means it’s rich in _potential,_ ” Brandenburg nodded to himself, “Truth be told, Gilbert, I think it’s unlikely that we’re going to lay a claim on all of Saxony. But at least we know we’ll have something else to help with our current economic situation,”

“I suppose you’re right,” Prussia responded with a nod, followed by an amused scoff and a slight smirk, “And it also doesn’t hurt to finally have your hands on _Julich_ and _Berg,_ does it, brother?”

“It only took some two centuries, but better late than never,” Reiner responded in turn, a wry smile breaking his stoic expression as he turned his gaze out towards the window. Just beyond the stone fence that kept his brother’s home walled in, he could easily see how busy the city streets were. Carriages rolled past and all manners of people walked the streets, hurrying to get where they needed to go before the sun set and the night came. It never failed to astound him --- No matter how many times the city became a victim of war and the tragedy that followed it, it always seemed to bounce back, stronger than before. It was a resilience befitting the place that served as the heart of their shared kingdom.

“It would be nice if we could all pull together and _cooperate_ though,” Prussia mused, which brought his brother’s attention back towards him, “After what France dragged us through, I thought the other states would be more open to the idea of _helping_ each other,” He shook his head, “You’d think we would have learned our lesson the first time around,”

Reiner scoffed in turn. His brother wasn’t wrong --- The reason the Holy Roman Empire had been so ineffective was due largely in part to the refusal of its members to cooperate. Bound only by vows of symbolic fealty, their constant warring, and constant disagreements did plenty to wear down the empire they were a part of. Neither of their hands was clean in that case, not when they spent the past century spearheading some of the biggest wars the continent had ever seen as they clawed themselves to the top of the dogpile. One would think they'd be happy when it was finally abolished, allowing them ( _particularly the smaller states_ ) to fully experiment with the concept of independence. But even Reiner, who had never been fond of being kept on a short leash by Karl, knew that was too much to ask. France left none of them unscathed, including anyone who'd reluctantly agreed to cooperate with him during his conquest of Europe. Everyone’s pride was hurt one way or another, leaving them searching for something solid to depend on --- Something to provide a promise of protection, to help maintain their stability while they recovered.

And so, the German Confederation was born. Another loose collection of states, dominated by two of the most powerful among them. It felt like a bad case of _d éjà vu. _

“I’m afraid we’re all just _far too co-dependent_ on each other,” Reiner said, sarcasm practically _dripping_ from his tone, “Either way, we’re more or less in the same boat --- Our government is also more focused on internal affairs too,”

“And I fully understand _why_ don’t get me wrong. We’d be of no use to anyone else if we don’t have our own problems sorted out first. **_**You**_** taught me that,” Amber eyes flicked up as he directed a knowing smile at the other. Reiner returned the smile, amused, “You also taught me that nothing good comes out of staying stagnant in our ways. Innovation is the only way we can survive --- I think this whole mess with France just hammered that lesson home more,” Gilbert continued, a somber look coming upon his face as made a show of shuffling through some papers. His own refusal to admit that the army was in dire need of reform cost them dearly at the start of this century. He thought about the day they were forced to flee the capital; about the look on their late queen’s face as she hurried to prepare her children to flee from the only home they’d ever known. He’d be _damned_ if he let himself make the same mistake again.

“I just…” He continued, breaking his sentence with a hesitant pause before resuming his talk, “I believe it would benefit all of us if we could actually act as a ** _ **united**_** force. We don’t have to _like_ each other, God knows that’s _never_ going to happen,” Despite the seriousness of the subject at hand, Gilbert found himself laughing softly at the mere notion of asking his neighbors to get along with him, “But just think of what could be achieved if we were to work together and not only in the face of a common enemy but _beyond_ that as well…” He paused, daring to look up so he could gauge his brother’s reaction to his words and was met with the other’s steady gaze.

“In _theory_ ,” Brandenburg began, leaning forward in his chair, “It makes sense. The _challenge_ is convincing all thirty-eight other states to actually work together under one system without making them feel like they’re _completely_ relinquishing their independence,” He paused, “Have you discussed this with anyone else?”

“No,” Gilbert shook his head, “I’m aware that such musings might not be taken kindly by everyone. Not by our own government and certainly not by anyone loyal to Austria. Besides, until I see proof that such a union _is_ possible, I believe it’s better if we kept this conversation between us,” 

Reiner nodded, a spark of _pride_ gleaming in his steel-blue eyes. His brother had come such a long way from the nervous young man who’d first come under his care. In a relatively short span of time, he’d grown from someone who found it hard to speak for himself to someone who was more than ready to challenge the status quo, “Give it a few years,” He said, leaning back in his seat, “Give us and the others a chance to get a steady foothold again. Then we can see if it’s worth testing your theory,”

“Heh. That’s **_**if**_** Anneliese lets me get a word in at all,”

“As if you’ve let that stop you before,”

Gilbert snorted, “You got me there,” He settled back into his seat, mirroring his brother’s more relaxed posture, “Was there anything else you wished to discuss, bruder?”

Reiner thought about it for a moment before shaking his head, “That’s all I had for today, with regards to official business, that is,” A beat of silence passed before he broke it again with a question, one of a more _personal_ matter this time, “How are you doing?”

Despite his best effort not to let it show, Gilbert felt himself bristle at the question. Having anyone fuss over him was one of his personal pet peeves, a bit hypocritical considering he’s prone to giving others the same treatment. Oh well --- Doctors made the worst patients, or so the saying goes, “I’m fine,” Came his reply, the answer rolling off his tongue reflexively.

That was hardly enough to satisfy Reiner though. Having grown up with Gilbert, he was used to that knee-jerk response and knew he had to do a bit more digging to get the answer he was looking for, “Sleeping better, I’d hope?”

Prussia drew in a breath and turned his gaze up towards the ceiling. He knew better than to straight-up _lie_ to Reiner’s face, not when his brother had a knack for telling if he was being truthful or not. Then again, what was he supposed to tell him? _That he’d been ignoring their physician’s sound advice in favor of staying up until the ungodly hours of the morning making notes and observations on the_ ** _ **dead body**_** _he kept in the spare guest room?_ His brother was worried enough about his health as it is and that worry wasn’t unfounded either. He’d given Reiner _plenty_ of reason to be concerned about him; his physical health had suffered through the mess of the Napoleonic era and was further exacerbated by worsening insomnia, frequent depressive episodes, and a major relapse back into his laudanum habit. That being said, Gilbert had been doing much better these past few months, but the last thing he needed was for his brother to think that he’d fallen off the wagon again.

“Some days, yes,” He finally sighed out. It wasn’t exactly a _lie,_ but it wasn’t the full truth either, “There are good nights when I can fall asleep without much trouble and there are bad nights when I do nothing but stare at the ceiling until the sun comes up,”

Reiner frowned, “Have you brought this up to Doctor Kraus?”

“It’s nothing he hasn’t heard before,” He waved dismissively, cutting his brother off before he could object, “I promise I’m coping, Reiner. I’m following Kraus' advice and have ways to keep myself busy on nights when his prescribed remedies don’t work. It helps keep my mind off things. I know how to take care of myself,”

For a second, Reiner looked like he wanted to argue, but at the last minute, he decided it wouldn’t be worth it. Gilbert could be an absolute _brick wall_ if he wanted to be, “You’re not giving me a choice besides to take you at your word now are you?”

“Unfortunately not,” The younger responded cheekily, “And how about you? How is your own health faring, bruder? I refuse to believe I’m the only one adversely affected by recent events,”

The other pouted, “You’re turning the conversation on me now?”

“It’s only polite to ask. Besides, I know you can be just as stubborn about your health as I am,”

 _Well, he got him there_ , “I’m doing okay, Gilbert,” Reiner answered, giving no reaction to the quizzical brow being raised at him. He had nothing to hide, after all, “The occasional headache comes and goes but apart from that, nothing’s out of the ordinary,”

“Good to hear,” Gilbert nodded as a comfortable silence settled over them both, broken only by the sound of a chair scraping on the floorboards as Reiner stood up from his seat.

“Ah, I best be on my way,” The brunette announced, “The sooner I get home the less my catswill yell at me for missing their dinner,”

“ _Cats_?” Prussia asked, a knowing smile creeping upon his face, “Since when did you get _Georgina_ a new sibling?”

“Since one of my maids found the poor thing curled up in one corner of the kitchen trying to stay warm,” Brandenburg answered simply, though there was a hint of fondness in his tone, “He’s an all-black, scrawny little thing… Extremely skittish too. Kind of reminds me of you back in the day,”

Gilbert rolled his eyes as he got up to stand beside his brother, “You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”

“Not for as long as I live. It’s a _tragedy_ that we tend to live absurdly long lives,”

A laugh, “Send the new little one my regards. Come, I’ll see you out,”

* * *

“Herr von Auer is leaving so soon?”

Amber eyes blinked curiously, turning their gaze away from the sight of Reiner riding his horse out of the courtyard and over towards the young woman who’d appeared next to him, “Hmm? Ah, yes I’m afraid so,” A teasing smile crept onto his face, “You seem _disappointed,_ Fraulein Luise. Is there something I should know?”

Luise’s cheeks instantly lit up a bright tinge of pink, casting her gaze down in embarrassment, “Of… Of course not, Herr von Beilschmidt---”

Gilbert gave a lighthearted laugh, “Oh, I’m only teasing. Was there anything else?”

The maid cleared her throat and stood up a little straighter, now having recovered from being flustered, “Mother sent me to ask if Herr von Auer will be joining you for dinner tonight,” She looked back out towards the now empty courtyard and gave a wistful sigh, “I suppose I already have my answer though,”

“Mm. It will only be myself tonight --- And the rest of the staff, of course. Kindly please tell Frau Weber that she need not worry about cooking more than the usual,” Gilbert smiled, moving to close the front door, “Alas, I still have a few more reports to sift through… I will be in my study until dinner is ready in case anyone needs me,”

“Of course, Herr von Beilschmidt,”

Gilbert granted her a nod of acknowledgment before he started up the stairs. He made a beeline for his study but stopped short of crossing the threshold, turning his head to stare at the last door at the end of the hallway. There was a moment where he seemed to hesitate; in the end, Prussia found himself making his way towards it, lead by the same light pull he felt in the fields of Austerlitz. It always grew stronger when he was close to this room, though he’d long since learned to stop letting the sensation bother him so much. A gloved hand reached into his waistcoat pocket from which he drew out a key, slipping it effortlessly into the keyhole. He gave it a turn and felt the lock give, casting a wary glance around to make sure none of the servants were coming before pushing it open; stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

The room was dimly lit, long shadows cast onto the walls by the few candles left burning. One candle in particular sat on a desk under a window with the curtains drawn shut; the flame’s soft orange glow dancing over the various journals that lay scattered on the surface. Beside them sat a tray of surgeon’s tools ( _a sharp scalpel, a curved needle, a vial with strings of catgut_ ) surrounded by various other bottles holding an array of tinctures and poultices. There was a slight chill on account of the window being left open to keep the air from growing stale, unintentionally adding to the eerie atmosphere that hung about the place.

But Gilbert’s attention was fixed on one thing in this room and that was on the figure that lay much too still on a bed much too big. The floorboards gave a slight creak as Prussia walked over and took his place at the chair by the bedside. The boy looked like he was just in a deep sleep and if he didn’t know any better, he would have believed that at first glance. He reached over and took the other’s limp wrist into his own hand, fingers applying gentle pressure just below the thumb in search of a pulse. He got nothing.

“What are you waiting for?” He whispered into the silence, “You’re **_**not**_** alive, at least not in a clinical sense… And yet you’re **_**healing,**_** ” A scoff, “I hope you will forgive me for admitting this, but I had seriously thought about just giving you the burial you deserved before that happened. I wasn’t expecting it to --- But it _did._ **_**Why?**_** If you are who I think you are… You’ve been dead for **_**nine years**_**. What’s stopping you from fading away like many fallen empires before you? _What… What_ ** _ **are**_** _you?_ ”

Silence answered him back and he hung his head, his thoughts drifting back to his conversation with Reiner. A thought came to mind.

“Are you the _Confederation_?” He asked, sounding like the suggestion was halfway between a serious one and one made up by a mind desperate for answers. A humorless laugh bubbled past his lips, “It’s not much of an existence you chose to latch on to if that’s the case. I’m afraid we’re all still squabbling among ourselves so it none too different from what it was before,” He almost felt ridiculous for bringing it up in the first place. The German Confederation might exist in name, but it was still too unstable to properly support a _living_ representative.

_But_ **_**what if…?** _ **

Gilbert found himself staring long and hard at the _child_ who lay on the bed. He couldn’t even begin to fathom the many implications of the possibility that this boy’s new identity was what he thought it was. It would certainly explain **_**why**_** he was healing despite being dead --- Unsteady and loose as it was, the Confederation _did_ exist, and maybe… Just maybe, that was enough to give him that first bit of life. Prussia shook his head, snapping himself out of his thoughts. He was getting too ahead of himself. He should leave this alone for now, let the thought sit in his head for a while, and make a note on it later. Blowing out an exasperated breath, he stood up, intent on making his way back out to the hall. He managed to get as far as the door but before he could lay a hand on the doorknob, he **_**froze;**_** face flushed pale and eyes gone wide.

_What was that sound?_

It was a useless question. He _knew_ what that sound was --- Knew it as well as the sound of his own heartbeat. Slowly, he turned his to look over his shoulder. He almost dismissed it as a trick of his imagination but then _he saw it_. The slight movement in the sheets, the rising of a chest, followed by that all too familiar sound:

_A soft, sudden_ **_**breath** _ ** _._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And he's is alive! Maybe not awake yet, but he's breathing so that's a start. How will this affect the new normal they'd forged for themselves? Find out in the next few chapters!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments! I read every single one that I get and I appreciate every single person who took the time to show me that they like the story so far~! >w<


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